Chief Audu Ogbeh, who spoke today, Tuesday, at a stakeholders meeting with registrars and pro-Chancellors of the universities in Abuja, said that the decision is aimed at repositioning the institutions with a view to involving youths in agriculture, training them to proffer solutions to the multi-faceted problems in the sector.
The minister expressed regrets that non-agriculture-based courses like engineering is being thought in the schools, even as he directed that only agriculture-related disciplines be thought. Audu Ogbeh said that the Federal Government’s decision to relocate its three Universities of Agriculture from the Federal Ministry of Education to Agriculture, was to refocus the schools as globally acclaimed citadels to move the agriculture sector forward.
He assured the universities that the government would actively support them by providing funds and grants to assist in research to move the agriculture sector forward.
“The domiciliation of the universities in this ministry is a commendable effort by the Federal Government based on sound reasoning and logic.
“Your return will effectively help us to reposition the three universities of agriculture as centres of excellence for the rapid development of the agriculture sector.
“There is no place where the competence and capacity to drive agriculture resides outside the Universities of Agriculture. We need to achieve a hunger-free Nigeria.
“Henceforth, students who are not interested in becoming farmers should be made to seek admission elsewhere.
“We are determined to offer you the necessary support for your transformation, for research for a healthier realm of discovery and self-actualization.’’
This was even as the Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, Mohammed Munguno, advocated a bill to establish the National Universities Agricultural Commission to regulate operations of the Universities of Agriculture.
He said that the National Assembly would amend their rules to make sure that the universities were adequately domiciled in the ministry for effective monitoring by the assembly.
“There is need either through an executive bill or bill to be sponsored by the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture for the establishment of the National Universities of Agricultural Commission.
“The commission will be charged with the responsibility of regulating the universities of agriculture to effectively perform their statutory roles in tandem with the laws establishing them.”
the Pro-Chancellor of the Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia, Professor Anya O. Anya, applauded the Federal Government for the relocation.
Professor Anya, who raised concern over disconnect with the science and practice of agriculture in the country, expressed hope that the domiciliation of the universities in the ministry would reposition the sector. [myad]
